Ensnare the Senses
by Lulu14168
Summary: It was never supposed to come to this, not really. When did everything go so wrong? With any luck, there's still enough time to change it all for the better.
1. Harry Potter

This oneshot includes direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows page 703. I do not own Harry Potter, and no copy right infringments intended. For those of you annoyed by my "rant" of a first chapter, enjoy this oneshot as a bit of a "okay, happy now? I'm not breaking the rules anymore". Also, I literally _just _wrote this in about twenty minutes, so...

Everything around him was destroyed. Fire was raging, killing everything in its path still standing. The screams had long since ceased, and now all he could her was the whirring sound in his ears. Blood dripped from the wounds on his face and he blinked furiously to keep his eyes clear. The weight of his wand in his hand brought little comfort as he gazed at the wreckage of what he considered his true home.

Impasse. The word echoed in his mind. Hermione had said it earlier, when Voldemort had called for his Death Eaters to retreat to the Forbidden Forest. But was it really? In a way, he supposed it was an impasse of sorts. He thought of it as a brief break in what he was determined would be the final battle. It would all end tonight, he refused to let this abominable effusion of blood continue any longer.

He was prepared to die. He didn't like the thought of all he'd be missing out on, but he was prepared nonetheless. At least in death he'd be with his family. His biological family, that is. The Weasely's would get on without him. Maybe not at first, but given time their thoughts of him would lessen, their memories dim. Ginny would find someone else, someone more deserving of her love. Someone who would make her truly happy.

It's all he wanted, really. For all those he loved to be happy. And they couldn't be happy if Voldemort's reign continued. One sacrifice for the sake of many. It wasn't so bad when he thought of it like that. In fact, it brought him a bit of comfort. A warm feeling filling his chest.

There was still enough time to change things for the better. To save the people he loved, and ensure they would have a safe and happy future. It was time for him to stop the monster who had terrorized his life since before he was even born. It was time for him to avenge his parents. It was time for him to do what everyone was counting on him for.

"I thought he would come," said Voldemort in his high, clear voice, his eyes on the leaping flames. "I expected him to come."

Nobody spoke. They seemed as scared as him, whose heart was now throwing itself against his ribs as though determined to escape the body he was about to cast aside. His hands were sweating as he pulled of the Invisibility Cloak and stuffed it beneath his robes, with his wand. He did not want to be tempted to fight.

"I was, it seems…mistaken," said Voldemort.

"You weren't." And with a deep breath Harry took the final steps into the clearing. It was time for him to die.

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	2. Hermione Granger

**Disclaimer: **I, sadly, do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters in anyway. No copyright infringments intended. All rights belong to J.K Rowling.

She'd known what was to come. She'd prepared herself for the horrors of the Final Battle. But can one ever truly prepare themselves for so much destruction? She had lost count of how many people she'd seen killed. People she cared about and had known for years. People who had done nothing wrong and deserved to live long, happy lives. So while she had known the Final Battle would be devastating and loves would be taken, she was in no way ready for the sight that met her eyes.

For so long they had talked of this last encounter with Voldemort and his band of Death Eaters, but it was always 'when it happens,' 'when it's time.' It had always been hypothetical, and now it was a reality. It was finally time for all the training to be applied. It was finally time for things to end.

But they had already lost so much, Hermione thought as she gazed around the Great Hall (though the name seemed ill fitting now). The Weasely's were crowded around the body of Fred, the young man who had always brought so much joy and laughter into the lives of anyone who met him. His face was eternally frozen in an expression of mirth, for even in the midst of battle he had managed to find humor. The world would be in desperate need of people like him when all was said and done.

If they managed to defeat Voldemort, the cynical side of her whispered. No! She mustn't think so negatively. They would win. Harry would finish the monster so many feared, and all would be right in the Wizarding World. Harry would make it and life would continue. Hogwarts would be restored to its former glory. Harry and Ginny would be together again, and her and Ron, well…she didn't really know what would happen with them, but something told her it would be magnificent.

Time would heal their wounds, though they would never forget. And they would ensure future generations knew of what happened on this day. Every day for the past eighteen years, all the sacrifices made in hope of a better future. There would be time for things to change for the better. They would win this second war against Voldemort and restore the world. They would not lose this Final Battle, Hermione swore to herself, gripping her wand tighter as determination spread through her. Not as long as she remained standing with breath in her lungs.

With this final thought she strode forward into the Great Hall, towards the family of red heads so dear to her, and right to the young man she'd come to love.

He looked at her, unshed tears causing his eyes to shimmer. Her heart gave a lurch and she forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath.

No words were needed between the pair, for they had known each other so long. Their thought was the same.

We have something worth fighting for. We have hope. And there is no way Voldemort will be victorious.

I won't let him, she added after a moment, grabbing Ron's hand and squeezing.

This is worth fighting for.

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	3. Ron Weasley

**Disclaimer: **I, sadly, do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters in anyway. No copyright infringments intended. All rights belong to J.K Rowling.

Staring at the body of his fallen joker of a brother, Ron finally realized the reality of the current situation. Sure, he never deluded himself into thinking everything would be all gumdrops and roses. He knew people would die, knew those people could be someone he cared about or knew. But he never thought it would happen. It was a possibility, but to become a reality…well, he wasn't really ready for it. He scoffed mentally then.

Is anyone ever ready for loved ones to die? In front of them no less. Maybe some people were, people like the Death Eaters. Though did they actually love anyone besides themselves? He didn't think this was very likely. If they knew what it was like to love how could they so cruelly slaughter anyone?

It wasn't fair; then again, nothing is ever fair. Not in his experience. Harry was a perfect example of just how unfair life is. Parents killed, forced to grow up with those horrible Muggles who were supposed to be family. A psychotic old man eager for his death, finding out he's the only hope for the Wizarding world to be peaceful.

No, life was anything but fair. And there was nothing to change this fact. As long as Vol…You-Know-Who…was around life would be even less fair. In fact it would be downright miserable. So he couldn't give up, no matter how tired he was, no matter how tempting the idea of going to sleep and never waking up was. To do so would be an insult to all the people who had lost their lives in an attempt to stop You-Know-Who. It would be an insult to his brother, to the uncles he never met, to Harry whose life had been plagued by the monster of a man.

Ron didn't like the thought of insulting so many people, especially when there was still so much for him to fight for. His eyes found Hermione near the doors of the Great Hall. If nothing else he'd fight for her. Because if they were to lose, the Death Eaters would no doubt take great pleasure in torturing her. He refused to let this happen.

There was still time, not much, but enough for things to change for the better. Enough for them to win. No one else would die tonight…well, unless they're on His side, he corrected.

Looking back to the body of his brother, Ron felt the sting of tears at his eyes. He drew in a ragged breath while keeping them from spilling over. Now was not the time to grieve. Now was not the time to forfeit.

Now was the time to regroup. To heal injuries and brace for the Final Battle.

Voldemort, he finally managed with newfound strength, is going down.

Now was the time to fight.

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	4. Author blurb on HP fics in general

No matter how hard I've tried, I simply cannot stay quite anymore. It's been eating me apart inside, driving me mad. Finally, instead of keeping to myself or speaking with friends, I've decided it's time for me to write something. Technically, this could be classified as a Drabble. Whether you choose to stay and continue reading or not is up to you (obviously), though I must say I hope you do stick around and read what I have to say. Perhaps you'll find you even share my thoughts. Or you'll vehemently disagree and leave a rather nasty review, which I would most likely enjoy.

Harry Potter fanfiction is one of the best things to ever happen in this world, in my not so humble opinion. It's my preferred drug of choice, with a smattering of other fandoms. The problem is finding a good story, which I think we can all agree on. I've searched through so much…_crap _in the quest for good fanfics, and have only managed to find a handful. It's at these times I wish I could settle for reading the 'crap' instead of driving myself up a wall by continuing to search. It has come to my attention while searching there is something horribly wrong with people.

The first thing wrong with people? Severus Snape. I'm not quite sure where to start with this one, so please forgive me if this all seems a bit jumbled. Many stories involve Snape, and not as a minor character, but the main character who finds love and blah blah blah. I've come across countless stories where the author gushes about how sexy and absolutely brilliant Snape is. To which I say: No. Just no. At no point does J.K Rowling describe Snape as being even remotely attractive. In fact, she pretty much does the opposite…unless you're into greasy hair and too-large noses, a droll voice and blank expressions. If this is your thing, you're probably not too thrilled with me right now. While Alan Rickman is one of my most favorite actors (simply because of his rolls in Harry Potter and Sweeney Todd), he's not attractive. At all. Sure, he's got a nice singing voice, but that's about it. If he were to sing everything, I may be a bit more inclined to say he's slightly attractive, but this is not the case. And pairing Hermione with Snape? What the hell is that about? It's wrong on so many different levels.

Second-Slash. Now don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against homosexuality. In fact the majority of my closest friends are gay or bi. I've admitted to thinking some women are attractive. But I don't want to read slash. At all. Ever. And there's SO MUCH OF IT. Why is there so much friggin' slash? I mean, what is the point? Unless you're a gay guy, then really, what is the point? What's the appeal of reading about two guys giving it to each other from the back entrance? Honestly, I'd like to know so please, tell me. Help me to understand. There's such a ridiculous amount of it as well, and I know there are not that many gay guys here writing it. It's gotten to the point I sincerely wish there was a filter for it

Third-Mpreg. What the hell people? I don't even know where to start with this one. Honestly. All I can really think to say is, it's utterly ridiculous.

This last part isn't strictly a Harry Potter only thing, sadly. It's the quality of writing…A part of me dies a little every time I see such horrendous writing. So here's a tip; if you're going to take the time to write a story and post it, check your grammar/spelling, and all around tone of writing.

Here's an example: "baby 1 mor time » by xxxxxxxhotpartybabexxxxxxx reviews  
vergini iz a stoodemt hugwortz whoo metz gabriwl/harry potter and fall in love. redd da ztori itz like so OMg totally kewl. vergini is awsum n hot n super duper smart and genriel iz a majoe hotti. no flaymz plz!"

I cannot accurately explain in words how much this burns for me to read. I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago and…oh man. I spent at least five minutes starring at the computer screen with an incredulous expression. Some of you may have read that god-awful story "My Immortal" at some point, if so then you'll understand when I say I thought that horrid girl had come back for another attempt. For those of you who have not had to displeasure of reading it, I suggest you search for it. It's good for many laughs because it's simply hard to believe how on Earth she could have possibly thought she had any talent what-so-ever.

Basically, make your characters believable. It's really not as difficult as…well it doesn't even actually sound difficult. Think of them like real people, and please for the love of all things holy, do NOT make them immature, whiny little bitches. Nothing makes me want to throw my computer more than immature, whiny little bitches. Also, keep in mind Harry Potter takes place in the United Kingdom. They do not speak like those of us from the United States. For instance, the word "dude". I was in England a few months ago and the only time I heard the word "dude" while I was there, was at Hampton Court Palace from a group of American boys exiting the maze. Before this moment, as well as after, "dude" was never uttered. To be honest, it's a stupid word anyway so don't use it. Secondly, try to not do the whole 'mom' thing. Most often the word mom in the U.K sounds like "mum" (which I personally prefer more then the Americanized version). Lastly (at least, I'm pretty sure it's the last), is the laws/rules/culture/etc. in the U.K are different from the U.S, loathe as I am to admit it because I far more prefer the latter of the two. Sure, some are the same or similar, but most are not. America has a different legal system from all of Europe, so either do a tiny bit of research if you really want to include something or just omit it entirely. Some people can get away with this however, but there are very few. It requires you to be a damn good writer.

Anyway, this is all I've to say really…for now that is. Please feel free to leave a review, expressing your honest opinion. In fact I welcome it. Until next time, ciao!

P.S. I've just read the guidelines for posting anything of , which you have to agree to before being able to post anything and…Well, I think it speaks for itself.

Here is a list of conducts that should always be observed:

1. Spell check all story and poetry. There is no excuse for not performing this duty. If you do not have a word processor that has the spell checking feature, use a search engine such as to find one.

2. Proofread all entries for grammar and other aspects of writing before submission. 'Hot off the press' content is often riddled with errors. No one is perfect but it is the duty of the writer to perform to the best of his/her ability.

3. Respect the reviewers. Not all reviews will strictly praise the work. If someone rightfully criticizes a portion of the writing, take it as a compliment that the reviewer has opted to spend his/her valuable time to help improve your writing.

4. Everyone here is an aspiring writer. Respect your fellow members and lend a helping a hand when they need it. Like many things, the path to becoming a better writer is often a two way street.

5. Use proper textual formatting. For example: using only capital letters in the story title, summary, or content is not only incorrect but also a disregard for the language itself.


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